Khaled El-Enany, Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to Lebanon during his first official visit to the country, where he met senior Lebanese officials and reviewed cooperation on education, science, culture, communication and information.
The visit, which took place in August 2026, focused on Lebanon’s immediate needs as well as longer-term recovery and resilience. According to UNESCO, Khaled El-Enany discussed priorities with President Joseph Aoun and other senior government officials while emphasizing cooperation based on Lebanon’s nationally defined priorities.
A central outcome of the visit was the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding between UNESCO and the Government of Lebanon. The agreement establishes a strengthened framework for cooperation through 2029.
Khaled El-Enany Reviews Lebanon’s Recovery Priorities
During the visit, Khaled El-Enany met President Joseph Aoun, Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Minister of Culture Ghassan Salamé, alongside other members of the Lebanese Government.
UNESCO said its work in Lebanon is centered on education recovery, protection of cultural heritage, information integrity and support for an inclusive recovery. The organization also reiterated its solidarity with the Lebanese people and recognition of the country’s cultural heritage.
The visit included stops at several educational and cultural sites, allowing UNESCO leadership to review projects already underway and identify areas requiring additional support.
Education Funding and Student Recovery Take Priority
Education was one of the major areas highlighted during Khaled El-Enany’s Lebanon visit.
UNESCO said a USD 1 million grant from the Global Partnership for Education will strengthen government-led education planning and support efforts to build a more resilient national education system. The new funding brings UNESCO’s targeted assistance for emergency education response and recovery in Lebanon to USD 1.8 million.
At Mohamad Shamel Public Mixed Elementary School in Beirut, Khaled El-Enany met students and teachers involved in UNESCO-supported recovery activities.
The organization highlighted its six-week Summer Learning Programme, which helps students address learning gaps associated with conflict and displacement while also providing psychosocial support ahead of the new school year.
UNESCO reported that, since 2023, it has trained more than 4,000 teachers in digital and flexible learning approaches, reaching more than 10,000 students in the regions most affected by the crisis.
Heritage Protection Gains New Emergency Support
Cultural heritage protection was another major component of Khaled El-Enany’s visit.
At the World Heritage site of Tyre, which was recently added to the List of World Heritage in Danger, he announced USD 100,000 from UNESCO’s Heritage Emergency Fund. The funding will support damage assessments, stabilization of vulnerable structures, protection of archaeological remains and mosaics, and training for young Lebanese heritage professionals.
The UNESCO Director-General also visited Khan Al-Askar in Tripoli, where he highlighted the site’s potential for employment-oriented skills development and technical and vocational education and training programmes.
At the Rachid Karami International Fair, another World Heritage property, Khaled El-Enany emphasized UNESCO’s support for conservation work. The organization cited a Conservation Management Plan, USD 76,000 in funding for restoration of the Water Tower and capacity-building for national experts as part of that support.
UNESCO Links Media Freedom With Lebanon’s Recovery
Information integrity and media freedom also featured prominently in Khaled El-Enany’s discussions in Lebanon.
He welcomed the launch of Lebanon’s National Campaign against Hate Speech on August 13, led by the Ministry of Information with UNESCO’s support. He also announced a new contribution from the LOOPS Foundation to the Libraries for Resilience initiative.
UNESCO said the initiative, supported by the LOOPS Foundation, MCN Build Foundation and Norway, has mobilized USD 650,000 to improve access to reliable information, strengthen community resilience and expand public library services across Lebanon.
Khaled El-Enany also acknowledged the adoption of a new Media Law by the Lebanese Parliament. UNESCO said it is prepared to support reforms and implementation of the legislation, with an emphasis on freedom of expression, media independence and journalist safety in accordance with international human rights standards.
UNESCO Seeks Broader International Mobilization
The Lebanon visit also included an appeal for greater international support for UNESCO’s Action Plan for Lebanon 2026–2028.
The plan structures UNESCO’s response around monitoring, coordination, emergency assistance aimed at supporting sustainable recovery, and longer-term prosperity. Khaled El-Enany thanked UNESCO’s partners and donors while calling for increased international mobilization around the plan.
The visit therefore brought together several strands of UNESCO’s Lebanon work: restoring education opportunities, protecting heritage, strengthening access to reliable information and supporting institutional capacity.
For Khaled El-Enany, the engagement also underscored UNESCO’s intention to work alongside Lebanese partners while responding to urgent needs and supporting longer-term resilience.
This news has been compiled using information gathered from various platforms and is intended for general informational purposes only.
